Another Masterly Discussion

Bill Plaschke [Sept. 4] makes a good point. I call on The Times to publish no coverage of events that occur at Augusta National Golf Club until it gets rid of Hootie Johnson and admits some female members.

Geoff Pike

Santa Monica

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I know it’s going to take several pages, but could you please publish a list of all of the golf courses in the U.S. that women have developed and where men are begging to play.

Herb Wallerstein

Beverly Hills

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Bill Plaschke’s silly plea to ignore the Masters is his selective approach to applying the Constitution. Extending his logic means opening private women’s clubs (of all types) to men, opening sorority doors to football jocks, etc.

Fortunately, the good ol’ boys (and ladies) in our country have an equal opportunity to make fools of themselves--just as Bill does when he tries to reinvent our rights/freedoms.

Dawn Troy

Pacific Palisades

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Master Hootie, women and golf. Some people might figure this for a joke of some sort ... far from it. Ms. Burk of the NCWO is pushing a bad thing at Augusta National and here is why:

1. I’d like to meet the women who have the financial portfolios and strong desires to play golf and desire to spend the money it would take to belong to Augusta. They are out there, just how many?

2. If Ms. Burk did a little more investigating on “these guys,” she would realize that the waiting list for membership at Augusta probably reaches into the next millennium and this does not fit her agenda.

3. Ms. Burk is attacking the game of golf itself that has so eloquently brought women into the 21st century with great financial rewards and exposure.

What is she thinking? This benefits very few women. It’s sad when a woman of higher education picks her battles so poorly. There are fights worth fighting that require this level of hype, not this one.

Bob Arranaga

Los Angeles

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Bill Plaschke’s article is another classic example of political correctness gone awry. Since when does a society’s concern for diversity extend to every facet of our lives?

If you are really firm in your contentions, then I suggest you and your sympathizers do the noble thing and choose not to watch the tournament next April. If there are that many of you, then the networks will see the impact and make a decision about televising the event in future years. If ratings do not fall off dramatically, then your contention that people care about your issues would seem to hold no water.

Americans feel differently about male-female issues. Why did only 400 people (an attendance figure mysteriously omitted from The Times coverage) show up at the Sparks’ WNBA victory party when thousands upon thousands attended the same event for the Lakers’ win?

Peter S. Griffith

Arcadia

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Mr. Plaschke, you ask, “So when are we going to exercise our rights as a civilized society?”

We already do. We are free to patronize or not patronize businesses that don’t meet our personal seals of approval. It’s part of being the free and civilized society you mention. The question should be, why do some feel that within that society it is appropriate to dictate what others may not do with their private clubs?

If you are anti-Augusta, by all means boycott the Masters and any sponsor you feel necessary--and don’t watch the telecast. But do not imply that anyone who doesn’t boycott, or does watch the telecast, is somehow out of touch and bigoted. At that point, you come off as not too dissimilar from the questionable manner that Mr. Johnson originally addressed Ms. Burk.

Nick Berrisford

Cheviot Hills

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Bless your sour little hearts, ladies. Next year we get to see a commercial-free Masters.

Michael Hannin

Oxnard